Hi Will, sorry no time to read the other posts today I have heard that conifers are very adept at taking in "stuff" through thier leaves. This is one of the main reasons I understand that collected/repotted material should not have too much foliage removed. So just a feeling it makes sense that watering the leaves may be benificial to the health. I was thinking after I posted yesterday that I still try to aviod watering the leaves after 4pm so they are not wet through the night but things dry off pretty quick here in the growing season anyway.

Dear all, I have to come back and please bear with me....I still have questions. Having made my narrow search (with my poor criteria...) I can understand that timing of spraying is most critical for the restriction of the infection and for obtaining good results.So, does anyone knows the correct time to apply the fungicide treatment?

I remain greatly obliged to all of you!This pine of mine is not something exceptional but this is my first tree really styled as bonsai (although bought one...) and I do want to keep it alive...

PS: I hate being suspicious but things make me believe that this tree was already infected when I received it at home....

Hello Alexandra. There is no reason why you cant give your first application now. The weather is starting to warm and daylength is increasing quickly, so trees are coming out of dormancy here in the UK. Then between two and four week intervals through the Summer until the new needles have hardened off.

Jim, Will is right you know anti transpirants are made on a silicone base and push water away, you now leafshine? Its used for eks. to shine the leaves of rubber trees for transport to look nice and shiney in the shops.Its the same thing, it closes for transpiring dust wont settel that easy and water can not remove it, wate just runs of the silicone lair, it evaporates in time. The downside is leafs cant breath, some leafs take in from both sides and will survive more easely, but needles, get covered all way round due to the narrow shape.I never mist my trees either never done it and never will, why hehe? I am to lazy

will baddeley wrote:..... I would be interested to know if their is any benefit to wetting foliage? Particularly Pines that are more droubt tolerant.

Hi Will

Thats is the point. There are normally no reason to water spray foliage in our Northern part of Europe, unless you want to wash of dirt and dust, or harmful predators (pests).Pines benefits from not having water sprayed at needles during the period the needles grow (spring until middle of the summer), because dryer needles prevents these elongate too much until they are dark green and hardened off. And because pines are drought tolerant as well.The main reason for spraying water on needles/leafs is to help trees that do not take up water enough through the roots. Also during nights dew will be taken up by the leafs, and that is mostly enough.

In warmer climates it may help needle foliage to be misted too cool down and help water taken up.

I was given a small bottle of Copper fungicide four weeks ago and was instructed to use 1 drop in a litre spray bottle, spray the whole tree - foliage and bark every two weeks. I've covered the soil before spraying and made sure everything was dry before removing the protection. It's had two sprays with the fungicide at two week intervals. Should I make the fungicide to water ratio stronger? Maybe two drops per litre of water? I removed the tree from its old pot, removed most of the old soil, but didnt root prune and planted it up in a larger pot with a much better draining soil.

The buds are now moving but the existing needles are going downhill fast. Will the new growth be enough to support the tree? I'm feeding the tree with Omakase and Sunball pellets.

Hello Paul. That is a very serious attack. Don't know anything about your liquid copper. Copper will not restore existing needles, only protect the new ones which fortunately look very healthy. Are there instructions on the bottle?

The Copper fungicide is bright blue - I dont have the name of it just now but I'll find out at my next club meeting in early May. As far as I know its now banned in the UK. I was given a small plastic bottle of it, the instructions came from the guy who gave it to me. The tree was also given to me by the same person, he's had needle cast throughout his Pines in recent years but has managed to get the problem under control using this fungicide. Apparently it's now in woodland Pines in the area we both live in.

Glad to hear this should protect the new growth, I just hope it survives. This was the Pine styled by Terry Foster at Burrs last year.

Will you, please Paul, provide some clarification for the reason of doing this? Is there some kind of danger from the fungicide if absorbed by the soil? Should we always protect the soil when using any kind of chemicals for spraying trees?Thank you!

I was told to cover the soil and to avoid any dripping of the fungicide into the soil. I can only think it may have a harmful effect on the roots? I cover the top of the pot with cling film, then I give the tree a good soak - needles, shoots and bark. I leave the cling film over the pot for an hour or two until everything is dry before removing it.

I also isolate the tree from all my others while spraying - I was told Maples are particularly sensitive to the copper fungicide.

I was told to cover the soil and to avoid any dripping of the fungicide into the soil. I can only think it may have a harmful effect on the roots? I cover the top of the pot with cling film, then I give the tree a good soak - needles, shoots and bark. I leave the cling film over the pot for an hour or two until everything is dry before removing it.

I also isolate the tree from all my others while spraying - I was told Maples are particularly sensitive to the copper fungicide.

Hope this helps - I'll post the results of my Pine here.

Paul

Hello Paul. Copper Fungicide will kill a lot of different fungi, including the beneficial mychorriza in the soil. If your using a fine mister for the treatment, then protecting the soil shouldn;t be necessary.